Need for state testing for students adds up

The recent reactions to state testing have been interesting, given that state testing has been around for at least 40 years. The names of the tests and their purposes have morphed during those decades. The following short history is provided for context:

The Texas Assessment of Basic Skills, or TABS, which tested math, reading and writing was first introduced in 1980. In 1986, educators witnessed the launching of the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills, or TEAMS. This was the first test that students were required to pass in order to receive a high school diploma. Four years later came the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, or TAAS, administered to students in grades third, fifth, seventh, ninth and 11th, with forced retentions for third, fifth and eighth grades if students did not meet standards.

Eventually retentions were only for students in fifth and eighth grades. In 2002, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or TAKS, became the primary student assessment for Texas. This assessment was based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, which is the state-mandated curriculum. Ten years later in 2011, the state introduced STAAR, the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, which remains in use. The state is planning a test redesign for STAAR beginning in the spring of 2023.

Historically, the focus of the tests moved from testing basic skills to minimum skills and then to academic skills. A recurring theme mentioned is that schools and teachers are “teaching to the test.”

I argue that if the state has a mandated curriculum, which it does, and the test is based on that curriculum, schools would be doing students a great disservice by not teaching the mandated curriculum.

In the early years, test results were reported as an average for all the students. When scores are averaged, the scores of struggling students are masked within that average. This is one of the main reasons test data began to be disaggregated by student groups, which include race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, at-risk factors and students with special needs. This method forces districts and campuses to pay attention to their most vulnerable students.

Yes, schools are much more than a test score, but without a measure by which to rate and rank schools, there’s a distinct possibility that student assessment will be reported in the average and lead to the mediocrity of the past and ignoring the students who need the greatest academic support.

Linda Mora retired from Northside ISD in 2016 after serving 14 years as deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She worked a total of 48 years in public education as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent. She also worked at the Texas Education Agency as associate commissioner for accreditation and governance.